Homegrown Doggy Treats go BIG at Fresno Food Trade Show

The Fresno Business Journal
Published On September 1, 2022 – 2:44 PM
By Ben Hensley

The Caglia Environmental Pressure Cooker competition took place yesterday at the MADE Central California trade show, with the finalists each awarded cash prizes and recognition to help promote their food-related businesses.

The Caglia Environmental Pressure Cooker contest highlights innovative new products from the food industry, and along with the Foodie Favorite Awards on Thursday are the two competitions held by the MADE Central California trade show.

MADE Central California is the successor event to the Fresno Food Expo, which ran for nearly a decade before ending in 2019.

The winner of the competition, Fresno-based St. Francis Homeless Project, took home a grand prize of $10,000. Founder Sandra Kaye said the funds will largely go to purchasing new equipment for the organization.

The nonprofit offers employment to homeless women and women in recovery from addiction by baking dog treats at the Clovis Culinary Center.

“I believe that it’s a reflection of the community recognizing that people need second chances and that the recovery and addictions in our community should be taken seriously,” Kaye said. “Work is a good vehicle to keep people healthy, strong and away from addiction, human trafficking and domestic violence.”

The competition was open to all participants in the MADE Central California expo, which began Wednesday and closes with a public event Thursday evening.

The victory took Kaye by surprise.

“We absolutely never thought we’d become a finalist,” she said. “Katie, one of my first graduates from the program, spoke on behalf of St. Francis. Ten years ago, she would have never gotten up in front of a camera, but she spoke from her heart and she spoke truthfully about the problems that she’s had in her life.”